"Empathy plays a fundamental role in our social lives. It allows us to
share emotions, experiences, needs, and goals. Not surprisingly, there is
much empirical evidence suggesting a strong link between between mirror
neurons (or some general forms of neuronal mirroring) and empathy."

In this interview,
Marco Iacoboni challenges the traditional Western understanding of human
nature as selfish and struggling for surviving and suggests that
neurologically and evolutionally we are predispositioned to create
empathic connections. A culture of empathy can be increased by:

In this second interview, Marco Iacoboni,
Lidewij Niezink
and Edwin Rutsch discuss
Definitions, Measurements & Metrics of empathy. Marco says,
"I think what's interesting to me most is to define metrics of empathy.
How can I measure this thing? Why it matters? If we want to design
interventions to improve empathy we need to agree upon ways of quantifying
it. People do get bogged down in debates on definitions and don't even get
to the point of trying to discuss metrics of empathic behavior. This slows
down progress, I think" Sub Conference:
Science

Video
Transcriptions: If you would like to take empathic action
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other viewers to quickly see the content of this video.)

Marco Iacoboni challenges the traditional Western understanding of
human nature as selfish and struggling for surviving and suggests that
neurologically and evolutionally we are predispositioned to create
empathic connections. Culture of empathy can be increased by: having
intention to increase culture empathy, becoming aware about our
biological capacity for empathy, creating more emphatic living
environment, decreasing the focus on differences and labeling -
increasing the focus on us (similarities) , increasing emphatic behavior
at governments, leaders and media.

2:56 – 6:00 Explanation of what mirror-neurons and mirroring are,
mirroring as foundation of empathy and connection among people

6:00 – 7:27 Marco challenges the traditional teaching claiming that
human being are selfish and struggle for survival and suggests that we
have natural predisposition to be empathic.

7:27 – Science discovered system in brain that makes human empathic ,
book about this written for wider public

8:23 - The fact that we reflect about empathy gives are more capacity to
be empathic

9:25 – 10:25 difference between Western culture being individualistic
and other cultures which are more collectivistic, Eastern philosophy
reflects more the connection between self and others.

10:25 – 13:11 Just sending the message that we are empathic individuals
increases tendency to empathize, empathy is contagious. increasing
empathy with others starts with us put ourselves in other’s shoes

13:25 – 18:23 Defining empathy – different forms of empathy – different
definition of empathy are all reflecting some aspects of it. Need for
taxonomy to support research.

4 types of empathy:

Self empathy,

mirroring empathy,

cognitive empathy,

action empathy.

18:23 – 19:16 Start with self empathy is western approach, Sense of self
is developed through being part of community

19:17- 21:00 Need for clear definition of empathy

21:00 – 24:22 Way for improving empathy: mirroring, shift belief system
from labeling and divide us, and look at others as fellow human beings
with same needs. Edwin's experience about becoming empathic with his
family members due to paradigm shift.

24:23 - 28:00 Government, media and leaders have responsibility to model
empathic behavior as a way of increasing culture of empathy.

28:00 – 30:55 How intention is the first step for creation of culture of
empathy . Need for interdisciplinary collaboration and debated.

30:57 - 32:32 Mirror-neurons in a performing arts

32:34 - 34:17 Empathy and social structures – empathy can be increased
through architecture, classroom and lecture rooms setup

34.18 - 39.55 Arts as ways to increase empathy. Dance and mirroring.
Body as very basic way to synchronies and empathize. Our ability to to
predict where things are going can also increase empathy and
synchronization.

40.02 – 42.18 - Letting sense of self go and having sense of us is
nature of empathy. When we are born we probably have no sense of self
til around age 2, only sense of us. Sense of self is created by child’s
the interaction with care-givers.

42.20 – 44.10 There are two levels of empathy: mirroring (imitating) and
controlling levels, (which requires higher level of cognition to imagine
what other person may be feeling/seeing)..

What are Mirror Neurons?Mirror neurons are “smart cells” in our brains that allow us to understand
others’ actions, intentions, and feelings. The mirror neurons are in many
areas of our brains, and they fire when we perform an action such as grasping
an apple, and similarly we see others doing it. As it turns out, our mirror
neurons fire when we experience an emotion and similarly when we see others
experiencing an emotion, such as happiness, fear, anger, or sadness.

in the brain - see areas - some areas have more
of these mirror neurons

the more you are empathic the more you activate
this region of the brain

33:00 with mirror neurons - we are us

need to spread the word around

could increase our capacity for empathy

Dali Lama - I believe people are good, you are
supporting this.

Q. If mirror neurons are activated when we feel
others suffering?

D.L. Lots of complications

Marco - when you travel you become more
open minded

people change their minds t

Q. Some people have physical problems with mirror
neurons?

Marco - many factors for low empathy

life experiences - can be taught

understand how it works in the brain

Q. Extend compassion to animals?

Marco - degrees of empathy

beings with those like us

snakes - move differently

this could be over come

familiarity make empathy easier

can empathize with others who are more like me.
gives a physiological understanding

intelligence can help - each one does not want
to suffer

Marco - learn through embodiment

embody the concept

act out the packet switching - is very
effective

can do it intellectually

mimic you can fell more of the impact.

44:00 Q. Do politicians have empathy?

some people lack moral principles

science studies reality

relationship of Buddhism and science

Marco - Mirror neurons show our interdependence and
eastern philosophy has shown this

2010-01-12 - Mirror Neurons
One stop on Alan Alda’s Human Spark journey was a visit
with
Marco Iacoboni at UCLA. Marco’s area of interest is mirror
neurons. These cells in our brains are each active when we perform
very particular tasks – such as picking up a fork, or slamming a
door – and also when we are simply watching someone else do that
same task. In this video, Marco explains his research to Alan and
describes how mirror neurons seem sensitive to the intention behind
each specific action that’s observed.

Marco Iacoboni, a leading neuroscientist whose work has
been covered in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall
Street Journal, explains the groundbreaking research into mirror
neurons, the "smart cells" in our brain that allow us to understand
others. From imitation to morality, from learning to addiction, from
political affiliations to consumer choices, mirror neurons seem to have
properties that are relevant to all these aspects of social cognition.

Overview of discussion

the discovery of mirror neurons

scientist are not always so open minded

mirror neurons and imitation

imitation is powerful way of communicating

it's a social glue

imitation leads to liking each other.

a powerful way of connecting to each other

mirror neurons and other minds - Intentions

can we get into the emotions of others

Evolution has made us wired for empathy

intimacy of self and others

mirror neuro help us create a sense of self

broken mirrors.

neuro science, empathy and society

7:00 - Brain Mechanisms for grasping

discovery of mirror neurons

the stories of how it happened.. they forgot

11: 50 - Mirror neurons are specialized in people
movements

congruent cell

broadly congruent cells

actions that are complimentary

hidden actions - don't' need to see the full action

14:23 - What are the properties of mirror neurons

specialized for actions

not only the same action but also complementary
actions

hidden actions

actions sounds

15:15 - mouth mirror neurons

17:00 Imitation

babies can imitate - (image)

testing imitation - mirror neurons and fMRI

mirror neuron areas

TMS of Broca's area (area essential to mirror
neurons)

language comes from movement

22:30 - model of mirror neurons - to date

we use our own neural machinery connected to mirror
neurons

can understand peoples intentions

24:50 understanding intentions of others

getting into the mind of others - Harry Potter

the mind is not a book

26:30 - tea party experiment - intentions

grasping intentions - to drinking or clean up

(images)

We feel the others

movements

intentions

feels

the other persons intentions inhabits our mind

Ludwigh Wittenstein - "We see emotions, We do
not see facial contortions and make the inference that he is feeling
joy, grief, boredom..."

31:00 - imitation is strong linked with empathy

visuals (photos)

we are chameleons

feeling what others feel - (image)

"I live in the facial expression of the other" Merlo-Ponty

a quantitative measurement of mirroring and empathy

test of children with empathy and mirroring - mirror
neurons as bio-marker of sociality

(image)

35:00 - mirror neurons creating a sense of self

the mirror recognition test - with children and
animals

toward 2 years old start recognizing themselves in
the mirror

then start mirror others more

we find ourselves by mirroring

37:45 - Tests - Mapping and Zapping the self

morphing self into the other

we build a sense of self from others

39:00 - broken mirrors in autism

using social interventions and imitations

imitation what the children are doing - Sally Rodgers
at U.C Davis

42:00 wrapup

We are wired to socialize

Solves the problem of other minds

Revision of long held beliefs

we are all individualist vers. wired for
social

Neuroscience and Society - he wants to convey this
message out to society

can change and shape society

46:00 Q and A

left and right hand

mirror neuron - wired and fixed ?

can learn

system learns quicly

Autism vrs. too much mirroring

supper mirror neurons - inhibit mirroring

Social consequences - can you train people to
be more empathic?

yes can teach people empathy

Autism

Mirror
Neuron Hypothesis of Autism
Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D. discusses the mirror neuron hypothesis of autism
which suggests that reduced mirror neuron activity may be a central feature of
autism. Mirror neurons are cells concerned with motor behavior and are
considered neural precursors of neural systems concerned with language and
social interactions. Series: M.I.N.D. Institute Lecture Series on
Neurodevelopmental Disorders

1:15 - Introduction

Mirror Neuron Hypothesis of Autism

We can use the mirror neuron system understanding to
work with autism

Mirror neuron properties: Imitation. language, empathy

MIS as a biomarker of social behavior

Interventions on ASD inspired by mirror neuron research

3:20 - Interventions for autism

4:00 - the firing of mirror neurons - hear the firing -
videos

fires when doing action and seeing action

grasping and mouth

syringe test

another action

8:00 - firing of the cell graphs

firing for partial actions

behind the screen actions - hidden actions

sound of the peanut breaking

many versions of the test

13:30 - a paper about body movements at this time it
was about the mentalist model of the mind.

mirror neurons are related to imitation

16:00 - mirror neurons and autism

TMS studies

from brain mapping to brain zapping

various tests and studies

Broca's area during imitation

areas of the brain and mirror neurons

imitation and language

24:40 from 1950's was speculated the relationship
between language and mirror neurons

same areas used (fire) when speaking and listening

speech is speech simulation

link to metaphors

30:00 Social mirroring or empathy

Imitative Learning

Social mirroring - empathic resonance with others

there is a tendency to mirror others in society

the more you imitate others the more empathic you
are.

33:00 neural circuitry for empathy

connection between mirror neurons and limbic system

Study of young people and empathy and social competence

interpersonal competence

how much empathy

41:15 - MNS as bio-marker of sociality

42:00 - 5 labs showing deficit in this system in autism

47:00 we have an immediate emotional perception (glad.
mad, sad, angry) of people and it's from mirror neurons.

Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D., discusses data on mirror
neurons that suggest that their role in intersubjectivity may be more
accurately described as allowing interdependence. This interdependence
shapes the social interactions between people. where the concrete
encounter between self and other becomes shared existential meaning that
connects them deeply. Series: "M.I.N.D. Institute Lecture Series on
Neurodevelopmental Disorders" [6/2008]